Not Enough Time! This is a habitual reason many of us give for not being able to take up qigong and tai chi practice. It is true that many, if not most, of us in our hurried up society think that we do not have enough time to fit in a mind-body practice. However, if we truly value our health and mental balance, it is important to include some sort of reflective and restorative practice to our hectic lifestyle. In the true meaning of the taiji with yin and yang continually ebbing and flowing, our own lives need to find the balance between frenetic activity and nourishment for ourselves. It doesn’t help that society implicitly devalues contemplation and admires those who aggressively push themselves. An interesting question one qigong teacher asks her students is how much time they spend in the natural world each day. Then she asks them how much time they spend on the Internet. Almost all her students spend considerably more time on the Internet than in nature, which gives them perspective on what they value.

Mind Change. I like to share the Chinese saying that is better to dig the well before one is thirsty. Usually the “not enough time” excuse is merely a decision of priorities. Knowing that your health and well-being are worth the small investment of time is important. Try fitting in a few minutes of practice, perhaps doing some qigong while waiting for the coffee to brew, or doing qigong breathing while waiting in traffic.